yabs

As I look on
At old signs and structures
Caressed by the gentle rain
I remember my childhood

Of times when the lights
Of this simple city
Were as wonderous
As the smell of pine filling the air

With laughter echoing
Seemingly across time
My mind is taken to memories
Of innocence and of freedom

Of late night drives
Through dimly lit backroads
The sparkling park lake
And establishment signs

The small and speedy taxi cabs
All brightly colored yellow
Shoe shops, boutiques
And of course the restaurants

Bikes, Boats and Pony rides
The gift of orange soda
And the sweetened bananas
Sold at every street corner

Memories of Baguio
Ones that I hold dear
Ones that gained my respect
Ones that I'll never forget

yabs

I am filled with such anger
Overflowing hate
And disdain
For the idiocy of my Blood

Where everybody
Keeps their mouth shut
As if that can magically solve everything
That they feel and face

I have lost hope in this family
Considering all that has transpired
The pathetic vow of silence
The flawed rule of seniority

I have begun to hate
Members of my blood
One after the other
For their continuous transgressions

While they are tolerated
To avoid confrontation
Liquor-filled meetings
And men filled with hot air

Words and instructions
That they cannot do themselves
Instead passed on to siblings
That they treat as doormats

Empty threats and hopes of leaving
Holding on to a past glory
From our provider who passed away
Basking in pride that only few had earned

You all sicken me
Just as I sicken myself
For being afflicted
By the very disease I complain about

yabs

She glances then nods
Trying to conceal her smile
As we faced each other
From two tables across

Could not help but stare
As the light touched her skin
She flipped through a magazine
While playing with her hair

Her eyes of light brown
The shadows that framed her face
She took my breath away
As she moved with gentle grace

And so there I sat
Frozen for seconds at a time
Two tables away
From a girl I never met

Daily I saw her
Sitting at the same spot
Two tables away
Seemingly worlds apart

Two tables far
Yesterday just one
Now distance set to none
Today a table for two